Class 8 Semi Tractor/Trailers and other large class trucks have seriously poor aerodynamic characteristics, particularly at highway and freeway speeds. These poor aerodynamic characteristics contribute to extremely poor fuel economy as more than 50% of the horsepower of the wheel drive energy goes towards overcoming the aerodynamic drag on large body trucks. This is particularly true of Class 8 Semi Tractor/Trailers with full size trailers.
In general, these trucks have very poor aerodynamic characteristics, particularly at high speeds over 55 mph. Also, it is known in the industry, that more than 50% and indeed as much as 60% of the horsepower it takes to drive a Semi Tractor/Trailer down the road, 50-60% of that component goes to overcoming aerodynamic drag. That is a very serious problem in that it reduces gas mileage considerably. Overcoming these inefficiencies and losses due to poor aerodynamics even in a small way leads to substantial savings when multiplied across many thousands of trucks driving across the country every day. FIG. 1A illustrates a traditional tractor and trailer combination 100. Of the 689 HP channel in the engine 25 HP is used by internal components, 75 HP is used for cooling and 60 HP is lost to transmission 106 heating. 273 HP is lost to the atmosphere through exhaust. Of the 400 HP on the test bench, after atmospheric losses, 300 HP is delivered to the flywheel and 240 HP is delivered to the drive line 508. Then, 240 HP is delivered to the tires on the road. 144 HP goes into over coming aerodynamics and 96 HP into tire rolling resistance. Of the 144 HP to aerodynamics, 58 HP is in front aerodynamics, and 50 HP on rear drag and 36 HP on surface friction. What is needed in the art is a mechanism to improve fuel efficiency in vehicles.